Syria gripped by protests after sharp fuel price hike

Economic hardship can bring even the most patient people onto the streets. When the price of bread and fuel becomes unaffordable and the authorities' promises do not match reality, people demand change. The right to peaceful protest is an important part of civil society, but it is crucial that it does not destroy what little remains.

Protests swept across Syria after the government raised fuel prices on Saturday. Demonstrators blocked roads and oil tanker routes, and some demanded the resignation of Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir. Under the new pricing regime that took effect on Sunday, the price of diesel rose by 40 percent — from 125 new Syrian pounds (about $1.03) to 175 pounds per litre. The price of 95-octane petrol rose by 28.3 percent to 195 pounds per litre, and 90-octane petrol by 25.9 percent to 185 pounds.

In the northwestern city of Azaz, people demanded the energy minister's resignation. Smoke hung over the streets as demonstrators burned tyres and blocked roads in response to the sharp fuel price increase. "We support the state and oppose vandalism and destruction. But today, honestly, I have reached the point where I can no longer afford bread," said protester Mohammed Ibrahim. "Honestly, we have begun to fear what new decisions each morning will bring. Life has become incredibly expensive. Looking at neighbouring countries, we are sitting on a sea of oil, but our fuel costs more than theirs, while they import it. It's unbelievable," said Ahmed Mohammed, another protest participant.

Syria produces less than a third of the oil it needs, and the price hike adds further pressure on households already struggling with poverty and the economic consequences of years of conflict. Some Syrian legislators expressed sympathy with the protesters and called for citizens' problems to be brought directly to government decision-makers. "We hope to begin a new stage in the work of the People's Assembly — one that will truly represent the people, their pain and problems, and convey them honestly and transparently to government decision-makers," said Abdulrazzaq al-Awad, a member of the Syrian People's Assembly.

The legislator also stressed citizens' right to protest, urging demonstrators to keep demonstrations peaceful. "We hope these demands will be expressed in a peaceful and responsible manner. Destruction, blocking roads and damaging state or private property are what we ask all our fellow citizens to consider a red line," he said. In response to the protests, the Syrian People's Assembly summoned Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir to a meeting of its energy committee on Thursday.

As reported by CCTV+, the fuel price hike in Syria has become another trial for a population already exhausted by years of conflict and poverty. The protests showed that economic hardship can become a detonator of social discontent, and dialogue between authorities and society remains an essential condition for stability.